Some renovations begin with a new paint color. This Laurel Canyon home began with a much bigger question: what if the rooms simply needed to trade places?
Once drab and disconnected, the home has been thoughtfully reimagined by GatherHouse Design Co., with a reversed living and dining room layout, opened walls, and new doors throughout. A narrow galley kitchen now feels like a little piece of the English countryside, while a once-forgotten room has become the kind of breakfast nook that makes you want to linger with a cup of a warm beverage in hand.
There were a few “trust me” moments along the way, too. The solid oak kitchen ceiling and the window treatments almost didn’t happen, and now it’s hard to imagine the home without them. With rich blue cabinetry (and yes, as always, I am sharing the paint color with you! ;)), handmade tile, vintage furnishings, along with meaningful pieces the homeowners already loved, this Laurel Canyon renovation is full of ideas for making an older home feel more personal and work beautifully for everyday life.
Come on in, my friends. There is so much to love here!
The moment I saw this kitchen, I had to ask the designer to share the details with you. Isn’t it full of charm and inspiring ideas? It feels as if it belongs to a farmhouse somewhere in Europe… I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing everything and learning about the details as much as I did!
Shop this Look: Floor Tile & Runner.
Runner: Vintage – Others You Might Like: Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, Akins Rug & Luca Machine Woven Area Rug.
Behind this Laurel Canyon transformation is Alycia Lane Joseph, an Emmy Award-winning former news anchor who brought her love of storytelling and attention to detail into interior design. Today, she helps homeowners tell their own stories through thoughtful spaces filled with personality.
Her experience includes designing, remodeling, and selling her own homes, along with client projects in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Nashville, Tahoe, Captiva Island, and Seattle. As a mother of two, Alycia understands that a beautiful home also needs to work for everyday life, a balance reflected throughout this inviting renovation.
“This home went from a drab, disconnected layout to one that finally makes sense – reversed room flow, opened walls, all-new doors throughout, and a few client “trust me’s” that paid off (that oak ceiling and the window treatments almost didn’t happen).”- Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
“The heart of the transformation. What was once a narrow, claustrophobic galley kitchen with a dreary grey ceiling is now a Cotswold-style kitchen straight out of a UK magazine. The ceiling was reclad in solid oak. Cabinetry is painted in Farrow & Ball Hague Blue, custom-built with inset upper cabinetry (lowers were existing) and finished with Stoffer Home hardware in antique brass.
Original hand-painted clay tiles were preserved and worked into the new design, alongside a new Renaissance white vintaged high-gloss Zellige tile backsplash on the sink wall, laid with zero grout. A new stained wood door, farmhouse sink, and a custom solid oak countertop complete the look.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Cabinet Paint Color: Farrow & Ball Hague Blue.
Ceiling: Solid oak.
Cabinetry: Existing lowers with new custom inset uppers.
The original kitchen had the beginnings of something special: a pitched ceiling, wood countertops, and a checkerboard floor. But the narrow galley layout, gray cabinetry, and dreary gray ceiling kept it from feeling as inviting as it could.
“We opened up a window to create a breakfast bar, flooding the space with light, and added open shelving, new cast-black Viking appliances with brass detail (refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher), a stainless steel microwave tucked below counter, and cabinetry that runs counter to ceiling.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Hardware: Stoffer Home – similar style: Cabinet Knob with Backplate & Bin Pulls.
The existing lower cabinets were kept, while new custom inset upper cabinetry adds storage and a more finished look. Also, on the sink wall, Renaissance white vintaged high-gloss Zellige tile adds interest. The designer describes this installation as having zero grout, allowing the handmade tile to read as a closely fitted surface.
Shop this Look: Backsplash, Pulls, Knobs, Sink, Faucet & Shelves, Aged Oak.
Lighting: DeVol Kitchens lighting throughout.
“Emerald green Zellige tile, laid nearly grout-free, wraps the bar area, topped with a gorgeous marble countertop finished with an ogee edge. RH chairs were reupholstered in leather to match the adjoining nook, and a solid wood beam floats above the bar. Two pantries flank the breakfast bar on the nook side.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Bar tile: Emerald green Zellige.
Countertop: Marble with an ogee edge.
Seating: RH, reupholstered in leather.
“Formerly a useless, forgotten room – now one of the home’s best features.
We opened the wall between it and the kitchen and added a second doorway, framing the space with matching arched entries on either side.
Custom built-in leather seating surrounds a customized marble-top table, hung with a DeVol Kitchens pendant.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Paint Color: Farrow & Ball School House White.
Lighting: Ellen Pendant – similar.
“The floor is solid oak, hand-scraped and hand-painted in a diamond checkerboard pattern – I worked with the artisan on site to choose the exact placement of each “vintage” detail in the pattern. Sliding doors create an indoor-outdoor connection onto a new deck, and you step up through the arched doorway into the space – a subtle architectural cue that this nook is its own moment.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
“A moody, characterful room anchored by a custom reclaimed wood table inspired by a Swedish piece that would have cost a fortune to ship overseas – so instead, we had it made locally by Ross Alan Reclaimed (who have since relocated to Nashville, where I am now too). I personally designed the direction and paint color of every single piece of wood on the tabletop to get it exactly right, and made multiple trips to the woodshop to see it through. This table was a true labor of love.
Mongolian sheepskin chairs pair with West Elm faux-leather seating, a custom RH rug, and a branch-form chandelier sourced from Etsy, with exposed ceiling beams tying it all together.
Presiding over the table is a beloved, larger-scale piece of art that’s followed the clients from home to home – I nicknamed her “Angry Girl,” and this time we gave her the spotlight she deserves, mounted on the fireplace chimney overlooking the dining table.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Shop this Look: Rug, Leather Dining Chairs, Mongolian Dining Chairs & Chandelier.
“We swapped the living and dining rooms to give the home a more organic, sun-drenched flow. The room was warmed up with an Interior Define velvet sofa in fawn, two vintage Mongolian sheepskin chairs, and an Anthropologie inlay table. New window treatments and Amber Interiors pendants finish the space with texture and light.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Shop this Look: Window Shades, Velvet Sofa, Accent Chairs & Coffee Table.
Rug: Becki Owens x Livabliss Machine Woven Area Rug.
If you’re looking for a great creamy white paint color, this might be it! Farrow & Ball School House White No. 291 is a soft, muted off-white with gentle warmth. It avoids the cool undertones found in some contemporary whites, giving it a lovely, familiar feel that suits a home with character.
In these living room photos, it reads as a warm ivory, with a subtle beige softness most noticeable in the shaded corners. I love how it complements the fawn velvet sofa, natural wood and the linen Roman shades. The room feels bright and welcoming, with that cozy quality that makes you want to settle in and stay awhile.
Wall Paint Color: Farrow & Ball School House White.
Rug: Becki Owens x Livabliss Machine Woven Area Rug.
Sofa: Interior Define velvet sofa in “Fawn” – Others You Might Like: 90″ Upholstered Sofa, Arthur 109” Velvet Upholstered Sofa & Performance Velvet Sofa.
Side Table: Round Metal Drink Table.
“Freshly painted (walls and closets), with a fireplace built in as the room’s new focal point. Curtains now hang over the closets – a detail the client loved once she saw it. Colorful Horchow premium bedding, new pendant lighting, a sheepskin bench, and floating nightstands, with RH curtain rods and custom drapery rounding out the room.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Wall Paint Color: Farrow & Ball School House White.
Ceiling Paint Color: Farrow & Ball Matchstick.
Inspired by this Look: Curtains, Window Shades, Bench, Bed – Dark Moss Rustic Chenille, Floral Bedding & Mirror.
“Completely reimagined and redesigned. We removed a tiny, awkward shower and closed off that wall, converting the bathtub into a shower/tub combo. The room was repainted in Farrow & Ball School House White, and we tore out the old shower tile in favor of a gorgeous hex mosaic tile with blue tones.” – Alycia Lane Joseph for GatherHouse Design Co.
Tile: Handmade 9X10 Hex Tile by Tilefy.
Bath Caddy: Rebrilliant.
A wood front door, green-painted trim, and a simple leafy wreath set a welcoming tone before you even step inside. Against the dark exterior siding, these details give the entrance that lovely, tucked-away cottage feeling.
Wreath: Faux Boxwood Wreath.
As September comes to an end and the air starts to feel a little cooler, I find myself looking forward to the simplest things… a favorite sweater, a hot cup of coffee, and a quiet moment by the window watching the leaves change.
This home makes me want to do exactly that. The warm wood, soft textures, and cozy little corners feel especially inviting this time of year. I can imagine settling into that breakfast nook, wrapping my hands around a warm mug, and letting the morning unfold without rushing. Don’t we all need more moments like that in our lives?
I hope this tour brought a little of that feeling to your day, too. Wherever you are, I hope you find a moment to slow down, enjoy something warm, and take in the beauty just outside your window. Thank you for spending a little of your day here with me. 🤎
If you love Alycia’s thoughtful approach to design, be sure to explore this Hollywood Hills, California House Tour, where I recently shared more of her beautiful work.
A big thank you to everyone who helped bring this post to life.
Notes: All images and credits belong to their respective owners.
Thank you so much for being here.
Thank you for being here and for continuing to make Home Bunch a place for inspiration, ideas, and beautiful homes. Love you all! XXo Luciane🤍
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“Dear God,
If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.
Lead me in Light and Love”.
Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”
with Love,
Luciane from HomeBunch.com
